Journal of the American Heart Association
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Comparative Study
Gender-specific risk factors for peripheral artery disease in a voluntary screening population.
Women have high rates of peripheral artery disease (PAD) despite fewer cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors, compared to men. We sought to determine the gender-specific prevalence of low ankle brachial index (ABI) and the relationship to C-reactive protein (CRP) levels and CVD risk factors in the Life Line Screening population. ⋯ Women participating in the Life Line Screening had higher CRP levels and a higher prevalence of PAD, compared to men. Neither higher CRP levels nor conventional CVD risk factors explained the excess prevalence of PAD in women.
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We tested the hypothesis that direct renin inhibition with aliskiren protects against myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR), and examined the mechanism by which this occurs. ⋯ Direct renin inhibition protects against myocardial I/R injury through activation of the PI3K-Akt-eNOS pathway.
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Observational Study
Delay from first medical contact to primary PCI and all-cause mortality: a nationwide study of patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction.
Early reperfusion in the setting of an ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) is of utmost importance. However, the effects of early versus late reperfusion in this patient group undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) have so far been inconsistent in previous studies. The purpose of this study was to evaluate in a nationwide cohort the effects of delay from first medical contact to PCI (first medical contact [FMC]-to-PCI) and secondarily delay from symptom-to-PCI on clinical outcomes. ⋯ Delays in FMC-to-PCI were strongly associated with increased mortality already at delays of more than 1 hour, possibly through an increase in severe heart failure. A goal of FMC-to-PCI of less than 1 hour might save patient lives.